China warns Tokyo about consequences of Sanae Takaichi's comment about Taiwan

Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Sun Weidong made a serious representation to Japanese ambassador Kenji Kanasugi in connection with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent statement on Taiwan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

"China again insists that the Japanese side deeply reflect on its historical guilt, immediately review and correct mistakes, withdraw outrageous statements and refrain from further steps down the wrong path. Otherwise, Japan will have to bear responsibility for all the consequences," he said on November 13.

Sun Weidong called the Japanese Prime minister's statements about Taiwan "provocative" and "extremely dangerous" and strongly protested because Beijing considers such statements as gross interference in China's internal affairs, a serious violation of generally accepted legal norms and as actions undermining the post-war international order. According to him, Tokyo is thus undermining the political basis of Sino-Japanese relations, "hurting the feelings of the people of China."

"China's 1.4 billion people will never tolerate this! The Taiwan issue is the quintessence of our country's key interests, a red line and a line that cannot be crossed," the deputy minister said. "80 years ago, the heroic Chinese people defeated the Japanese invaders after 14 years of bloody struggle. Today, 80 years later, anyone who dares to interfere in any way with the reunification of China will definitely receive a decisive rebuff!"

Earlier, Sanae Takaichi said that a possible military crisis near Taiwan would pose an "existential threat" that could force Japan to exercise its "right to collective self-defense."

China’s Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian threatened on X to cut off the Japanese prime minister's head, but this post was later deleted.